1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an oil cooler assembly with an integrated oil filter for an internal combustion engine employed in automobiles, motorcycles and like automotive vehicles, which assembly constitutes an external part attached to engine blocks of the internal combustion engines, and more particularly relates to one having a simple and compact construction in which the lowest possible number of sealing portions is provided between lubricating-oil passages and cooling-water passages to substantially prevent the lubricating oil from mixing with tee cooling water.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
In the internal combustion engine employed in the automobile and the motorcycle, the engine parts are lubricated and cooled by means of lubricating oil or engine oil circulated through an engine-lubricating system. Namely, in operation, the lubricating oil or engine oil absorbs heat from the engine parts and is drawn out of the engine through lubricating-oil or engine-oil outlet passages provided in the engine case. After that, the engine oil is introduced into the oil cooler in which the heat having been absorbed in the engine oil is transferred to the coolant or cooling water through heat exchange to cool the engine oil. The thus cooled engine oil is returned to the engine parts through lubricating-oil or engine-oil inlet passages provided in the engine On the other hand, during this lubricating/cooling operation of the engine oil circulated through the engine-lubricating system, particles of foreign matter such as carbon and sludge carried by the engine oil are removed from the oil by means of an oil filter provided in the engine-lubricating system.
As described in the above, in case that the oil filter is separated from the oil cooler, their space requirement is relatively large. In addition, they must be connected to each other through communication pipes which increase the fear of oil leakage.
In order to resolve the above problems in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 56-159109, an oil cooler assembly with an integrated oil filter is proposed
In the oil cooler assembly proposed in the above Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 56-159109, a central portion of a cylindrical oil cooler constitutes an oil chamber in which is received an oil filter around which is formed a cooling-water chamber which is separated from tee oil chamber through a cooler element having a complex construction. Heat exchange is conducted between the engine oil and the cooling water through such cooler element.
However, the above-mentioned conventional oil cooler assembly with the integrated oil filter requires many components, and therefore requires many sealing portions between the oil passages and the cooing-water passages provided in the assembly As a result the conventional oil cooler assembly with the integrated oil filter is complex in construction, and therefore increases the fear of oil leakage to cause the engine oil to be mixed with the cooling water.